any and all advise will be taken into consideration I have a lyman (Investarms) great plains rifle in .54 flint the problem is getting the flint out far enough to open the frizzen its seems as tho with the flint out far enough the frizzen isn't closed on the pan at half cock. I prefer my flint to strike frizzen just above half way I always had incredible ignition doing this I am green at tuning a lock I plan on buying a siler lock the next time the squaw leaves the teepee for a campout but didnt want to before i shot it a few times. my dare I say percussion Lymans are great any replies greatly appreciated. maybe I am just spoiled from my Pedersoli's. I have polished frizzen pivot screw as a starter please help weasel
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Most Lymans work well so I've heard, it sounds like you may have a geometry problem, I had a similar thing with an old Dixie "Kentuckian" and had to bend the neck of the hammer back a bit so it would not rest on the frizzen at halfcock, haven't heard of this on the Lymans before, maybe someone else might have some other thoughts.
Weasel,
My Lyman Deerstalker flintlock gave me nothin but fits for a year of trying to shoot it.The lock was Junk and most of all the Frizzen was even worse junk.I eventually got sick and tired and bought a good quality "drop-in" lock and that solved most of my problems.I can now get constant ignition every time all I need to do is learn to hold it.Anyhow some people swear by Lymans flint Locks but all I did was swear at mine.Lyman wouldn't even attempt to help solve my problem either.
It's all I can offer.Good luck to ya.
My Lyman Deerstalker flintlock gave me nothin but fits for a year of trying to shoot it.The lock was Junk and most of all the Frizzen was even worse junk.I eventually got sick and tired and bought a good quality "drop-in" lock and that solved most of my problems.I can now get constant ignition every time all I need to do is learn to hold it.Anyhow some people swear by Lymans flint Locks but all I did was swear at mine.Lyman wouldn't even attempt to help solve my problem either.
It's all I can offer.Good luck to ya.
Weasel,
I shoot a .54 Investarms. After suggestions from Birddog to swap to 3/4 flints I have had great ignition. I got about 40 shots off the last flint and this seems to be average now. The flint will almost touch the frizzen at half cock. I'm not around the gun right now but I remember it hitting much higher than 1/2 up on the frizzen but haven't seen that to be a problem. The ventliner has also been drilled and coned. Good Luck!
Packdog
I shoot a .54 Investarms. After suggestions from Birddog to swap to 3/4 flints I have had great ignition. I got about 40 shots off the last flint and this seems to be average now. The flint will almost touch the frizzen at half cock. I'm not around the gun right now but I remember it hitting much higher than 1/2 up on the frizzen but haven't seen that to be a problem. The ventliner has also been drilled and coned. Good Luck!
Packdog
Bald Baron
36 Cal.
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Yes Gang, I would like someone to really explain or link to info on the exact setup for shooting a Flintlock. I am about to start, but have never been close to one being shot. I only have knowledge with caplocks. I have been reading all the flint post but it appears there is more to it than just putting a flint in the jaws!
Here is a good link.
http://members.aye.net/~bspen/flintlockfaq.html
For starters, left handed shooters using a right handed flintlock will set their beard on fire...
I have seen this done first hand.
When a flintlock is fired, be aware if the area beside the lock, anyone or anything beside it will be exposed to the "POOF".
The flintlock loads just like the percussion muzzleloader, only the priming is different.
Once you are ready to prime, place the hammer at half cock, open the frizzen and add FFFFg to the priming pan and close the frizzen over it.
"How much priming powder to use?"
This is open for debate, some say fill it up to the top of the pan, others say just to the top of the flash hole or touch hole,.
I say, use enough to work.
Fill the pan 3/4 full, then back off a little with each shot (noting the level) until you have a miss fire. This will let you know how much priming powder your flintlock likes.
If you've never shot a flintlock before, try this. With the muzzleloader "EMPTY", fill the priming pan half-full with FFFFg powder and close the frizzen; cock and fire the prime charge.
This is like "DRY FIRING", it will get you use to the priming charge going off.
(if you do this in the house it will set off the smoke alarms)
Flintlocks takes a bit of getting use to, there is a small explosion going off beside your face every time you fire it.
"My brother calls them FLINCH LOCKS."
My flintlock; a brown bess, makes a large POOF when I fire it.
http://members.aye.net/~bspen/flintlockfaq.html
For starters, left handed shooters using a right handed flintlock will set their beard on fire...
I have seen this done first hand.
When a flintlock is fired, be aware if the area beside the lock, anyone or anything beside it will be exposed to the "POOF".
The flintlock loads just like the percussion muzzleloader, only the priming is different.
Once you are ready to prime, place the hammer at half cock, open the frizzen and add FFFFg to the priming pan and close the frizzen over it.
"How much priming powder to use?"
This is open for debate, some say fill it up to the top of the pan, others say just to the top of the flash hole or touch hole,.
I say, use enough to work.
Fill the pan 3/4 full, then back off a little with each shot (noting the level) until you have a miss fire. This will let you know how much priming powder your flintlock likes.
If you've never shot a flintlock before, try this. With the muzzleloader "EMPTY", fill the priming pan half-full with FFFFg powder and close the frizzen; cock and fire the prime charge.
This is like "DRY FIRING", it will get you use to the priming charge going off.
Flintlocks takes a bit of getting use to, there is a small explosion going off beside your face every time you fire it.
"My brother calls them FLINCH LOCKS."
My flintlock; a brown bess, makes a large POOF when I fire it.
Try a 3/4" flint & try it bevel up & bevel down. My GPR has always worked fine with bevel up.
I use them that way a while & when I have knapped it 3-4 times & it is shorter I turn it bevel down & use it til it is dead. I usually get an excess of 40 shots form one & sometimes as much as 80 shots depending on the flint & the lock. I try to get the flint about 1/16" from the frizzen at half cock. Some locks require a notch cut out of the leather in the back to make this possible, others don't require it.
In reverence to the size, flints are measured by Width not length.
I use them that way a while & when I have knapped it 3-4 times & it is shorter I turn it bevel down & use it til it is dead. I usually get an excess of 40 shots form one & sometimes as much as 80 shots depending on the flint & the lock. I try to get the flint about 1/16" from the frizzen at half cock. Some locks require a notch cut out of the leather in the back to make this possible, others don't require it.
In reverence to the size, flints are measured by Width not length.
Bald Baron
36 Cal.
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Musketman and Birddog6, that was very helpful and that link was great. Thanks for the help. I hope that I can make some shoots in the near future and learn from guys like the two of you.
thanks to any and all for suggestions I have used 3/4 flints also cut agate which it seems to prefer gonna bend hammer this weekend and go from there I will try another lock thanks again any more suggestions will be appreciated
weasel
weasel
If you can find someone close that you can compare locks with, that may be a good way of guidance, so you can see the geometric problem, should that be the culprit. Or if you want, I can mail you my lock off my GPR & you can compare them & then return it.
birddog6 many thanks for your offer only a black powder shooter would be that generous I'm gonna bend hammer this weekend and see what it gets me I can't accept your generous offer as I hate to borrow but I really appreciate it by the way whats your thoughts on removing the blue and browning the barrel and fixins? weasel
